Newbie Guide

Contents

Although OO:SoS has evolved many layers of intricacy, the idea of the game itself is quite simple. Players are divided into two teams of four or five players each (4v4 is most common but 5v5 is considered ideal), and each team given its own planet. At the center of each planet is the "core" - a 5x5x5 cube made of TNT encased in glass, with an activation lever on top. The objective of the game is to cross the battlefield, infiltrate the opposing team's planet, flip their lever and detonate their core. The first team to explode the enemy planet wins.

Success in OO:SoS hinges on coordination and cooperation. The ability to communicate quickly and easily is of paramount importance. For that reason all players are expected to have access to Skype. Even if you don't have a microphone or are unable to speak for whatever reason, it's highly recommended to use Skype anyway to listen to your team's call and receive warning and instructions. The alternative is communicating through Minecraft's in-game chat, or forcing your teammates to type to you. This costs precious time and can be suicidal in the heat of battle, so having Skype is strongly encouraged.

OO:SoS is a complex and fast-paced game. With so many things happening at once, and so many things that need to happen, it's common for a new player to find himself unsure of what to do. The most important thing in OO:SoS is to make use of every second. If you ever find yourself without a job to do, make sure to ask your team how you can help. There's only one thing worse than a player who wastes time through inaction, and that's a player who harms his team throug foolish action. Be neither - rely on your team's guidance until you're experienced enough to make your own judgments.

Usually new players are given simple tasks around the home base that fall under the domain of mothering. An experienced mother typically runs the cobble generator full-time, but you may still be asked to chop wood, dig dirt, harvest gravel, fortify parts of the planet with cobblestone, light up the planet with torches, craft items, or transfer supplies.

If nothing remains to be done at the base, you may be asked to rush the enemy planet. When rushing you should always take a Stone Sword if possible, as well as 2-4 blocks (dirt will suffice) in case you encounter an obstruction along the way. Leave the construction and destruction of bridges to more experienced players; as a newbie rusher, your job is largely to act as a meat shield and extra muscle for your teammates. The most important thing is not to get in the way of the more seasoned players.

When digging dirt, stay away from cobblestone generators and bedrooms. If you're digging at the front of the planet, make sure not to leave any ledges that enemies can drop onto.

Never carry too many supplies on you at once. Falling into the void with multiple stacks of cobblestone will earn you the scorn of your teammates, and since you never know when you may be called into action, it's best to carry as little on you as possible.

Sprinting increases your knockback in combat. Remember this, as that extra bit of force frequently makes it much easier to knock enemies off bridges/planets, even without much angulation.

Educate yourself in basic bridge etiquette before heading onto the battlefield. Out of consideration for your teammates, make sure you sprint when crossing bridges. If a teammate needs to pass you on a bridge, crouch and stand to the side so that you may pass each other safely. Players who obstruct or move too slowly on bridges are liable to be smacked off by impatient teammates, so always be considerate of your fellow strifers!

It's a long way down to the bottom of the map. If you fall off a bridge, instead of waiting drop into the void and die slowly, type /kill. Most players have the command copied to the clipboard for easy access. This practice can save precious minutes over the course of a match.